RAFA BENITEZ was hoping to wrap up his fourth Anfield exit of the week today (Wednesday) - to free up funds to continue his summer spending.

RAFA BENITEZ was hoping to wrap up his fourth Anfield exit of the week today - to free up funds to continue his summer spending.

Dietmar Hamann is finally expected to complete his convoluted move to Manchester City, goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has joined Wigan on loan for six months with a view to a permanent #1m switch, Djibril Cisse was set to be unveiled at a press conference in Marseille today, while homesick youngster Antonio Barragan is poised to join Deportivo La Coruna for #1.7m.

The exits will give Benitez greater flexibility in the transfer market as he chases a right-sided midfielder and another striker.

The departures of Cisse and Hamann alone will free up around #5m a year in wages.

Cisse will join Marseille on loan, with a view to completing an eventual #8m switch, while Hamann will complete his move to Stuart Pearce's Manchester City after originally signing a contract at Bolton.

A Reebok statement said: "We wish to clarify that although Didi Hamann signed a contract with the club, he has since had a change of heart and will sign for another football club in the next 24 hours."

Chris Kirkland, who spent last season on loan at West Brom and suffered another injury-hit campaign, has joined Wigan on a six-month loan.

If he can convince boss Paul Jewell of his long-term fitness a permanent deal will be agreed.

Barragan, meanwhile, is set to leave after just one first team appearance - as a late substitute in the Champions League qualifier against CSKA Sofia.

The young Spaniard was signed from Seville last summer, but is set to return to Spain with Deportivo La Coruna.

"There is a verbal agreement between the three parties," Depor president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro said, while Barragan's representative, Fermin Gutierrez, added: "There are still important details to solve.

"They have to do with the negotiation between us and Depor, and both clubs. Even so, they are not questions that can bring the operation down."

A fee of 2.5m euros has been agreed.

The departures will give Benitez the opportunity to finally try to bring his long-winded pursuit of Seville's Daniel Alves to a successful conclusion.

Talks stalled last week over Liverpool's unwillingness to meet a #12million asking price, with Birmingham's Jer-maine Pennant lined up as a replacement target.

Benitez also admires Feyenoord's Dirk Kuyt - and is closely monitoring the volatile situation in Italy where the expected imminent relegations of Juventus, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio could spark a fire-sale.